Serojane And Her Beauty Products

BABOKI KAYAWE
Staff Writer | Monday July 26, 2010 00:00

It also helps maintain a constant body temperature. The dermis also plays a role in physical appearance; the finer it is the more the element of beauty becomes apparent. It is the aesthetic nature of the skin that has seen beauty product companies set up globally to protect this invaluable part of the human body.

Like any other body part, it needs to be fed and nourished. Seeing the skin glow and in good health is what gave birth to Soulmates Enterprises, a citizen owned business that manufactures bath products which include bath salts, bubble baths, soaps, lotions, creams and lip balms.

Born out of the bad global financial climate that has seen economies tumble, Patricia Serojane is a living testimony that such times also avail opportunities for business ideas.

However, the primary market she had in her sights, the hotel and leisure sector, were not spared by the economic downturn, resulting in lowered supplies and cancellation of contracts with the likes of Sedibeng Lodge.

'Some lodges which used to procure from us when we started in 2008 now take very small quantities,' she says.

This prompted Serojane to diversify her products to include wedding invitations, birthday or baby shower invites, a line she says has kept the business alive. Soulmates, a three time award winner at the annual Women Expo, faces its biggest challenge in the form of poor understanding of the benefits of its products to the body among Batswana.

'Though most young people are emerging as a considerable section of our customers, a greater percentage of the population does not see the healing effect of bath salts on the body and soul,' she says.

Bath salts do not only come as aesthetic but have a therapeutic value as they relieve the body from tension and stress. Serojane says old people with mobility problems can always use sea bath salts to enhance their blood flow and muscles.

The 38  year-old self-funded entrepreneur says while there is growth in the beauty and beauty-product industry, it is sad that most of what the nation uses continues to be imported from neighbouring South Africa.

'This is infact one of the motivating forces behind setting up this business,' she says. 'The tourism industry needs our services, but because of our mentality of thinking that some things are beyond our ability, we continue to lose out.'

Her ultimate dream is to build a diversified beauty product powerhouse with a focus on supplying retailers.  Having trained as a beautician and nail therapist, Serojane envisages integrating a training school in her line of products for Batswana aspiring to venture into this business.

Her worst setback is lack of certification by the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS), as a number of potential customers - among them Game Stores and Pick n' Pay - were keen to have her products but for lack of BOBS certification.  

However, she says this hurdle should soon be overcome as BOBS is working on developing such a standard and is in touch with a Chinese company to grant Soulmates a certificate. 

Asked about what really is required for one to be a bath products manufacturer, Serojane says she trained for three months in South Africa. However, what is of most importance is to stick to prescribed measurements because failure to do so could lead to undesired effects on the skin.

She is thankful to the Local Enterprises Agency for equipping her with business management and book-keeping skills. Serojane's ultimate dream is to build a beauty empire that will make an imprint on Botswana's beauty industry and supply the country's hotels and lodges.